Tecun Uman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tecun Uman
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | 1500? |
| Died | February 20, 1524 |
Tecun Uman (born around 1500? – died February 20, 1524) was a brave leader of the K'iche' Maya people. They lived in the mountains of what is now Guatemala. People say he was killed by the Spanish conquistador Pedro de Alvarado. This happened during a big battle against the Spanish army and their friends on February 12, 1524.
Tecun Uman became Guatemala's official national hero on March 22, 1960. People remember him every year on February 20, which is thought to be the day he died. Tecun Uman has inspired many things, like statues, poems, and traditional dances. Even though he is famous, we don't have many old writings about him. It's hard to tell what's true history and what's just a legend.
Contents
The Battle for K'iche' Land
In 1522, a Spanish leader named Hernán Cortés sent his Mexican friends to explore a region called Soconusco. There, they met leaders from two powerful Maya kingdoms, Iximche and Q'umarkaj. Both kingdoms said they would be loyal to the king of Spain.
But soon, Cortés learned that the K'iche' and Kaqchikel people were not loyal. They were bothering Spain's friends in the area. So, Cortés sent Pedro de Alvarado with a large army. This army included 180 horse riders, 300 foot soldiers, crossbows, guns, and 4 cannons. They also had thousands of Mexican warriors who were allies of the Spanish. They arrived in Soconusco in 1523.
Fighting at the River
Pedro de Alvarado and his army marched along the Pacific coast without trouble at first. But when they reached the Samalá River in western Guatemala, they met a K'iche' army. The K'iche' tried to stop the Spanish from crossing the river, but they failed.
Once across, the Spanish soldiers attacked nearby towns. They wanted to scare the K'iche' people. On February 8, 1524, Alvarado's army fought a battle at Xetulul (now San Francisco Zapotitlán). K'iche' archers hurt many Spanish soldiers. But the Spanish and their allies still took the town and set up camp.
Into the Mountains
Alvarado then led his army up into the Sierra Madre mountains. They were heading towards the main K'iche' lands. On February 12, 1524, Alvarado's Mexican allies were surprised by K'iche' warriors in a mountain pass. The K'iche' pushed them back.
But then, the Spanish cavalry (soldiers on horses) charged. This was a huge shock for the K'iche' people. They had never seen horses before! The horses scattered the K'iche' army. The Spanish then reached the city of Xelaju (modern Quetzaltenango), but it was empty.
Many people believe that Tecun Uman died in a later battle near Olintepeque. However, Spanish records say that at least one or two K'iche' lords died in the fierce battles near Quetzaltenango. Local stories say Tecun Uman died in the battle of El Pinar. They say it happened on the Plains of Urbina, near the village of Cantel. Pedro de Alvarado wrote a letter on April 11, 1524, saying that one of the four K'iche' lords was killed near Quetzaltenango. He didn't say the lord's name.
The Legend of Tecun Uman
Stories say that Tecun Uman went into battle wearing beautiful quetzal feathers. His animal spirit guide, called a nahual, was also a quetzal bird. This bird flew with him during the fight.
In the middle of the battle, Alvarado and Tecun Uman met. Alvarado was wearing armor and riding his warhorse. Tecun Uman had never seen horses before. He thought the man and horse were one creature! So, he attacked and killed Alvarado's horse.
Another version says he just attacked the horse to make Alvarado fall. Tecun Uman quickly realized his mistake. He turned for a second attack, but Alvarado pushed his spear into Tecun Uman's heart.
The K'iche' prince's nahual, the quetzal, was very sad. It landed on the fallen hero's chest. Its breast feathers turned red with blood. Then, the quetzal died too. From that day on, all male quetzals have a red chest. And their song has not been heard since. Also, if a quetzal is put in a cage, it will die. This makes the quetzal a symbol of freedom.
Other stories say Tecun Uman changed into a quetzal or an eagle. This eagle had three crowns: one of gold, one of diamonds, and one of emeralds. Some natives tried to kill Alvarado, but a powerful maiden, often linked to the Virgin Mary, protected him. Tecun Uman used his own magic and killed Alvarado's horse. When he learned he had only killed the animal, he tried to fix his mistake. But Alvarado quickly killed him with his spear.
One different story says Tecun Uman had a chance to kill Alvarado but failed. Instead, he was killed by one of Alvarado's soldiers named Argueta.
Local stories from the area around the old K'iche' capital, Q'umarkaj, say that Tecun Uman was buried at a small old site called Atalaya. This site is about 600 meters (656 yards) from Q'umarkaj.
Historical Clues About Tecun Uman
People still discuss if Tecun Uman was a real person. One clue is a letter from Alvarado to Hernán Cortés. But the letter doesn't say much. Alvarado only wrote that "one of the four chiefs of the city of Utatlán was killed, who was the captain general of all this country." Alvarado did not give the K'iche' general's name. He also didn't say how or by whom the man was killed.
Other old documents from the native people describe Alvarado's arrival in Guatemala. The Título C'oyoi describes the battle in a way that sounds like the modern legend. This document also has the first known mention of the K'iche' leader as Tecum Umam.
The Popol Vuh and the Título de Totonicapán also say that four lords ruled the K'iche' when the Spanish arrived. The oldest son of the most powerful lord was expected to lead the K'iche' army. He was given the title "nima rajpop achij." This is the same title given to Tecun Uman in the Título K'oyoi. The family trees of the K'iche' lords in the Popol Vuh and Título de Totonicapan also mention the son of the most powerful lord as "Tecum" when Alvarado arrived.
What Does His Name Mean?
It's thought that "Tecun Uman" might not have been his real name. It might have been a title. The first time the name appears is in the Título C'oyoi. It calls him "nima rajpop achij adelantado Tecum umam rey k'iche' don k'iq'ab'." This means: "great captain-general Tecum, grandson of the K'iche' king Don K'iqab'." So, the word "uman" or "umam" just means "grandson of." It's not part of Tecun's name.
Some think "umam" might refer to his family line. Or the name might have come from another title, "q'uq'umam," meaning "ancient one of quetzal feathers." It could also come from the native name for a local volcano: "Teyocuman."
The Dance of the Conquest
The Guatemalan Baile de la Conquista (which means "Dance of the Conquest") is a traditional dance. It is based on a Spanish dance called Baile de los Moros ("Dance of the Moors"). That Spanish dance celebrates when the Moors were driven out of Spain.
In Guatemala, the dance tells the story of the early days of the Spanish conquest. It focuses on the fight between Tecun Uman and Pedro de Alvarado. This fight represents the larger conflict between the Spanish and the native people. The dance shows Alvarado's invasion and the conquest of Guatemala. In this dance, Tecun Uman takes the place of the Moorish prince.
Some people have suggested that Tecun Uman was created just for this dance. They think the dance needed a leader for the native armies. But this idea is not widely believed. This is because documents like the Título K'oyoi appeared long before the first performances of the Baile de la Conquista.
A National Hero
Tecun Uman was named a National Hero of Guatemala on March 22, 1960. People celebrate him every year on February 20. They honor his bravery and dignity in fighting against the Spanish Conquistadors.
Many things in Guatemala are named after Tecun Uman. These include a small town in the San Marcos area near the Guatemala-Mexico border. Also, many hotels, restaurants, and Spanish schools across Guatemala bear his name. He is also remembered in a poem by Miguel Ángel Asturias.
Even with all this popularity, some Maya cultural activists don't like his status as a national hero. They find it ironic because of the long history of bad treatment of Guatemala's native people.
See also
In Spanish: Tecún Umán para niños
